Education Briefs: College board votes to support 2A

Moffat County Affiliated Junior College District has voted to endorse Referred Measure 2A, ballot measure asking Craig voters to increase the city sales tax. Craig City Councilman Derek Duran presented data and arguments for the measure. "Between inflation and economic growth, we demand a high level of service from local government, but we force them to live in the same zone as the least fortunate," said board member and former Mayor Terry Carwile. "We just seem to be missing the difference between what we demand and the budget we compel them to live within."Community member Neil Folks asked Duran why the city should "get a raise" when so many other people in the community were not seeing increases in their personal income.In response Duran pointed out that the city hasn’t raised taxes since 1990. "Then, in 1993, we repealed the use tax, taking the total tax collected back to below 1990 levels," Duran said. The college board unanimously voted to provide a letter of support in recognition of its endorsement of the measure.

2017 ReaLife Women’s Conference set for Nov. 3 and 4The 2017 ReaLife Women's Conference "Exhale" will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 and continue from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 4 at The Journey, 1150 W. Ninth St. Cost is $10. Tickets and information are available from Calvary, Craig Christian, the Lighthouse, Cornerstone or Jenison Custom Builders. Tickets may also be purchased at the door at the time of the event.

Parent Action Committee to host Casino Night Nov. 4The high school Parent Action Committee is holding its first annual Fall Harvest Casino Night from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. All donations will go toward funding Moffat County High School equipment and supplies to provide more opportunities for students. The cost of the event, which will be held at the Clarion Inn & Suites, is $25.

New Craft classes now available at Yampa Valley Fiberworks

New classes are being offered this fall at Yampa Valley Fiberworks north of Craig. Classes including knitting, spinning, weaving, sewing, fabric painting and more. Classes are offered during the week and on weekends. Check out Yampa Valley Fiberworks’ Facebook, facebook.com/Yampa-Valley-Fiberworks, for times. For more information or to register, call 970-824-9568.

Moffat County Library Craig Branch announces story times

Recommended Stories For You

Story times at the Moffat County Library in Craig are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursdays in the children’s room, 570 Green Street. Librarians ask parents to arrive early, as entering the children's room late causes distractions.Dates and themes are as follows.• Nov. 2 — Under the Sea• Nov. 9 — Bears, Bears Everywhere!

Low pay shutting teachers out of housing marketsIn 80 percent of the largest school districts, a teacher with an master's degree and five years' experience cannot comfortably afford housing payments, according to a report released this week by the National Council on Teacher Quality.The report highlights the serious challenge teachers face in being able to afford housing in the districts where they teach. In its October Teacher Trendline, NCTQ used data from the Teacher Contract Database to compare teacher salaries with rental and homeownership pricing data in 124 large school districts across the country.The findings show that, while renting a one-bedroom apartment is within reach for new teachers working in most districts, in about a quarter of the districts, it is not. Home ownership is even more difficult. In some districts, saving for the recommended down payment of 20 percent or meeting mortgage obligations is beyond a teacher's means, even for a teacher who is at the higher end of the salary schedule. That problem is particularly acute in school districts in the West and Northeast.Perhaps the most surprising finding is that, even in districts where saving for a down payment on a home is "doable,” making the monthly housing payment is well outside the comfortable reach of teachers. In 80 percent of the districts, a teacher with five years of experience still would need to spend more than the recommended 30 percent of their income on housing payments.To view salary, rental, and homeownership pricing data for all the districts in the sample and explore an interactive map, visit nctq.org and click on the "Teacher Trendline" commentary.

Applications now open for Daniels ScholarshipThe Daniels Scholarship Program provides a four-year annually-renewable college scholarship for graduating high school seniors in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming who demonstrate exceptional character, leadership and a commitment to serving their communities.

Acceptance into the Daniels Scholarship Program is highly competitive. Each year, thousands of applicants go through a rigorous application process, and finalists go on to an in-person interview.Applications and recommendations must be submitted online through the application website by 4 p.m. Nov. 30. As part of the application, students are required to submit documents that will be used to verify their eligibility, such as their Student Aid Report from the FAFSA; official ACT/SAT scores; citizenship and residency documentation; and other financial documents.